Is She Coming Back
by neptuneskiff
Summary: The team makes a discovery they hadn't imagined possible. How will it play out? AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the NCIS characters and I apologize in advance if I've butchered them.

At NCIS Tony and Ziva were working on a case with a murdered navy sailor, they didn't really have any leads to follows. They were bringing in the victims brother, Scott Davies from South Carolina, hoping maybe he had some incite to his brother's life.

"Officer Davies reporting in to NCIS, boss." The brother announced himself as he entered the teams bullpen.

Tony gave him a look at his formality and obvious training, Ziva was at the crime scene so this guy was his to interview. He wasn't a suspect plus he had an alibi four states away so he took him up to the conference room rather than interrogation.

"You've been a South Carolina state police officer for six months?" Tony inquired once he got Scott Davies all settled in.

"Yes sir." Davies responded.

"You've had no military training, but were top of your class at the police academy. Impressive, and when was the last time you saw your brother?" Tony asked.

"It's been almost three years." He said

Tony was impressed by this guy, his evaluations were top notch and spotless he seemed to know not to say anything more than asked. "Listen Davies you're not a suspect we called you here to see if maybe you had any extra incite. This isn't an interrogation so you can relax officer." Tony tried to get the kid to relax.

"Sorr.. I mean yes okay I guess I'm just reverting back to academy training." He stopped from apologizing and explained.

"Sounds like a better training than I received back in Baltimore." Tony told him referring back to his own time in the academy.

"Not the first time I heard that Officer Gray was tough and thorough it felt like months instead of weeks with her extra training and the rules." Davies explained, "She had tons, number three always carry a knife, never apologize, I could go on. But after her course I was a top pick for any job in the state." he continued.

"Rules.." Tony trailed off thinking of those very familiar rules.

"Yeah those who have her even finish with extra certifications in Firearms, Crime Scenes, and Profiling. It was tough and she was difficult, but it was worth the doors it opened and the preparation it gave us." Officer Davies told him.

Tony started at him for a minute.

"Everything okay? Sir?" Davies asked.

"Actually I'm not feeling so well all of a sudden could you write down anything you can remember your brother telling you recently no matter how inconsequential you think it is, whether over the phone or in an e-mail. You can bring of down to the bullpen when it's done." Tony ordered.

"On it boss. " Davies responded and started writing.

Tony went down to his desk and closed his eyes till he heard his boss return to his desk. "Gibbs something weird is going on." Tony said.

"Spit it out Denozzo." Gibbs said not really in the mood for Tony's antics.

"You haven't been teaching police academy courses in your free time?" He followed up.

"What the he'll you talking about?" Gibbs asked with little patience.

"The sailor's brother is upstairs writing us a report. He went to the academy in South Carolina a few months ago and the way he explains it sounded like Gibbs Training right down to rule number three always carry a knife." Tony explained.

"He tell you who his instructor was?" Gibbs asked now curious.

"His file said Officer Sarah Gray. I checked up a little she's been there five years, almost to the date." He trailed off, "Oh here he comes." Tony said as Davies approached, "Oh and he called me boss not sir a few times." Tony added.

"The report Agent Denozzo." Davies handed it over.

"Let me see it Tony." Gibbs requested walking over, he scanned it quickly and recognized it as top work.

"Who was your instructor at the academy?" Gibbs asked.

"Officer Sarah Gray." He answered, "Is there a problem I'm unaware of?"

"Not regarding the case." Gibbs responded.

"I don't understand." Davies continued.

"My name is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs have you ever heard of me?"

"No I know of NCIS and its background but not much about the agents here." He answered honestly.

"What's rule number 12, Davies?" Gibbs asked.

"No interoffice romances, boss." He responded instantly.

"Boss I'm starting to freak out." Tony entered the conversation.

"Do you draw sketches or take pictures at crime scenes officer?" Gibbs continued.

"Both." He answered getting very uncomfortable.

"Why?" Gibbs prompted.

"One isn't sufficient, measurements are hard to determine from photographs." He answered.

"You learn all this from Gray?" Gibbs asked.

"That's right." He answered.

"Very good Officer you are free to go, we'll keep you updated on any developments into your brother's murder." Gibbs told him.

After he left Gibbs sat down at his desk.

"Boss." Tony prompted.

"Sit down Denozzo." He said without any strength not sure what to think, not wanting to allow his mind to follow certain lines of thought. But he couldn't just drop the matter his gut was churning.

"Call Ziva, tell her this investigation is hers unless she needs your help." Gibbs ordered.

"On it boss." Tony said picking up his phone.

It was at that very moment that McGee walked into the bullpen. "McGee give all the work you're doing on this case to Abby." Gibbs ordered.

"There a problem?" McGee asked.

"Do it now, Probie." Tony said after hanging up his own phone.

"Follow me." Gibbs said and headed for the elevator after McGee spoke to Abby.

They followed him and entered the elevator behind him and let the doors close. They just stood against the back wall while Gibb's pressed the emergency stop button and then let his head rest against the wall as his mind was going crazy.

"Boss?" McGee asked.

"Shut up Probie." Tony said sharply.

"Lay off of Timothy." Gibbs said and after a minute continued, "Tim when you get back to your desk you need to do some searching and it needs to be untraceable." Gibbs started.

"Boss?" He asked again.

"Find anything you can about a Police Officer Sarah Gray in South Carolina, and then I need you to look up any FBI file with the same name mentioned five years ago. Do this as soon as possible McGee, top priority." Then Gibbs turned to Tony, "You are leaving today on the next flight to Charleston, no contact, no matter what you see. No pictures either but be sure. I want you back here in 12 hours with confirmation, and Tony don't turn your phone on while you're there just get back here."

"Should I fly under a different name, boss?" Tony asked.

"Yeah and don't flash your credentials to anyone." Gibbs said his head still back.

"What are you gonna do?" Tony asked him.

"Keep this office running." He said now looking at his team, "Don't mention what you are working on to anyone, not even Ziva. Got it?" Gibbs prompted.

"Yeah, boss." They both responded.

"What's going on what am I really looking for?" McGee asked nervously.

"You're looking for Caitlin." Gibbs answered quietly. McGee just stared and then squeezed his eyes shut. Then Gibbs added, "Not even Abby."

"Yeah." McGee nodded.

"McGee, you will meet me at my place in three hours and Tony your ass better be in the air by then and at my house by 0800." Gibbs said.

Tony and McGee stood silently waiting for Gibbs who rubbed his face a few times before turning the elevator back on.

He knew his next step should be Ducky, he'd be the only one in on it. They would have needed him for setting up the early drop and special effects and getting her through to the morgue. But he couldn't bring himself to do that yet.

Gibbs went home instead, to his boat. He had been sanding for a few minutes when he realized he forgot about Ziva. He called her and made up an excuse about the FBI needing some help on and old case they shared and said he thought she could handle this one and if she needed help she could call some junior agents, and told her to make him proud.

Kate's been in witness protection for almost five years. There was a leak among Ari's men alerting them to the fact she was the target. First the protection placement was only to be until Ari was caught, then till his three trusted men were caught, and that had just happened. Finally after almost five years it was finally confirmed that the hit ordered on her was finally lifted.

During the past five years she'd been teaching police academy courses in South Carolina. She had thrown herself into the work and Sarah Gray became known as the toughest instructor but those who made it through her course became the best and most sought after officers.

She'd been cleared to return to her past, back to the life of Caitlin Todd for just over two months now, but how does one take that step? Her family, her friends, her coworkers had grieved they'd moved on was it even the right choice to invade their lives again.

She had a new life in South Carolina. It was productive though not exciting. Her coworkers had long ago given up trying to befriend her to them she was serious and cold. Her knowledge of movies probably now would give Tony a run for his money. And her prized possession, her sketch book, was filled with pictures from Caitlin Todd's life. She cried the night two years ago when after a date she found her sketching turned into a picture of Gibbs on a sailboat, she found herself drawing him more than anyone else and didn't want to consider what that indicated.

She looked up her old team for the first time the day after the US Marshalls had alerted her to her new status. The fact it was the first time she'd done such a thing demonstrated self control to be rivaled by no one.

She now had a choice to make. She'd been at her job for just five years but she was the top instructor and if she allowed herself to examine the situation she'd realize she'd become to the SC state police what Gibbs was to NCIS with the reputation to match, she was private didn't accept mistakes from herself or anyone else and lived by rules of her own choosing.

She didn't realize as she sat in her local bar debating her future whether to stay where she was or to go back to DC that soon the choice to stay hidden would be taken from her.

Gibbs was asleep on his work bench with his jar of bourbon empty on the floor next to him when McGee showed up.

"Boss." McGee woke him slowly.

It took him a few minutes to compose himself and stand beside McGee. "Tell me I'm wasting our time." Gibbs said.

"I found three things of interest." He started and then continued, "I found a log of a file entitled Gray, S from five years ago, no info only a ghost of a deleted file from the FBI. But I ran another search same parameters using six month intervals for the last five years. It turned up nothing till two months ago the file was accessed again on the FBI's main frame and then deleted completely. Now when it was removed five years ago it may have been moved to another server, but two months ago a hard copy was printed and now there's not even a ghost of the file left." McGee tried to explain.

"Any specifics about the case?" He asked.

"No nothing I can't even open it, the only reason I could find it was, well you won't understand but it's… the dates they match up. It was originally created a day before everything happened. I can't get anymore and remain undetected on their server." McGee explained.

"Now we wait for Tony." Gibbs said.

"Sir." McGee said.

"There's a mat and blanket on the top shelf over there, or the couch upstairs. I've got the bench." Gibbs said dismissing him.

Tony showed up a little after six am and sat on the bottom step.

"Boss. McGee." He woke them up easily they were obviously waiting for it.

"Tony." Gibbs asked without saying a word.

"Her hair is lighter and I think she had green contacts on. I followed her from the police grounds to a bar and then home. She drank alone and went home she's the only one who lives there. I went back out to a bar closer to the academy the recruits were talking about her it sounds like she didn't just turn into Sarah Gray but adopted your social skills from the talk going around." Tony reported.

"There most be some very well qualified police officers in South Carolina. From her evaluations and reports she is there number one instructor and has been offered promotions but always turns them down. She lives alone and from her credit cards it's always been that way." McGee said.

"Boss what do we do?" Tony asks, 'it's Kate."

"First we find out why if this was done because someone knew she was Ari's target has it gone on so long and if it's still required or if she chose not to return. McGee you move your search to Ari I want to know what the FBI found out and didn't share, find out what they have on Ziva and if there could be any lose ends the Marshalls are waiting to be tied up. Tony you're coming with me to visit Ducky." Gibbs ordered.

"Boss?" Tony asked.

"He had to have known and you are going to keep me from shooting him." He said.

"Why are you two just standing there?" Gibbs asked.

"Ziva?" Tony inquired.

"Ari was her half brother." From the looks of his two agents he knew he had to continue, "She also shot him in this basement saving my life. No one knows that information." Gibbs shared.

"Yes sir." They responded and left.

Kate was alive.


	2. Chapter 2

"Boss." Tony greeted him when he finally found Gibbs, he was standing by the elevator outside of the morgue.

"If you had known you wouldn't have told anyone." Gibbs says to him.

"No." Tony agrees. They both knew they'd have kept it to themselves if it meant protecting Kate's life even when that meant watching their friends grieve. "You think he'll tell us anything now?"

"I don't know Tony." Gibbs says and takes a deep breath before walking into the morgue.

Jimmy and Ducky were going over some files on one of the metal tables, and looked up when they walked in.

"Palmer go bother Abby." Tony said, Gibbs still hadn't opened his mouth. And Jimmy scurried out knowing never to question an order when Agent Gibbs was in the room.

"Jethro if there's something you need…" Ducky tried to draw Gibbs out.

"DiNozzo go help McGee." Gibbs said. He couldn't do this not with Tony here.

"Boss?" Tony asked, but at the glare Gibbs sent his way he left and did so quickly.

"Now that you scared everyone away what can I do for you?" Ducky asked him.

"Kate." He said it. It may have sounded like a groan but he'd gotten the word out and then walked to stare at the wall full of metal doors housing the bodies of the deceased.

He knew Ducky hadn't moved from his position.

"She's alive she's been alive. You know how we found out?" He started but couldn't seem to stop, "A victim's brother came in here trained and professional as if I'd taught him myself. But I'd never seen him before. A cop from South Carolina fresh from the academy. Sarah Gray, she taught him everything. She's the best instructor the police academy has ever seen. DiNozzo went down there her hairs lighter and she's got no life outside of work and alienates her coworkers. She's been there for five years and hasn't moved on. What have we done, we've all acted like she never existed." Gibbs was still facing away he was pretty sure he'd never spoken that much in one turn before even to Ducky. It didn't have the cathartic feeling everyone always mentions when you speak about something instead of keeping it inside, and that fact only fueled his emotions.

"Jethro." Ducky finally approached him and placed his hand gently on his shoulder only to have him shrug it off a second later.

"You knew, all this time." Gibbs spat at him and slammed out of the morgue taking the stairs not willing to wait for the elevator.

Ducky just stared after him.

Gibbs came walking through the bullpen. "Everything under control, Ziva?" Gibbs asked her she was now sitting at her desk.

"It seems like another sailor wanted his spot on their next assignment, he's got priors, no alibi, and was seen threatening our man. He's being brought in." Ziva told him.

"Good job, McGee DiNozzo with me." He ordered heading back to the elevator.

Once they were all inside he pulled the emergency stop.

"Report." Gibbs ordered.

"I looked under Ari first and found nothing. But then instead I searched all the common files opened on the dates the Gray file was accessed." McGee started.

"Spit it out McGee."

"There was a case titled Adam Ansel, definitely an alias. Probably to block us out of the file. It was marked closed just two months ago, but we'd all need time to go over this it's a mess. Somewhere out of this building I can bring a hard copy but we'll need internet access." McGee explained. They'd have to review all the files connected to the case and follow up on them to assess the situation make sure the FBI didn't miss anything.

"Okay well I for one am glad we got that modem line into Gibb's basement after last time. But boss if the case was closed two months ago?" Tony asked wondering why Kate had stayed away.

"It's been five years maybe she doesn't know what to do now." Gibbs sighed. "We help Ziva finish the case, meet at my place at 1900 hours cancel your weekend plans." He announced.

Tony walked down the steps to Gibbs' basement to see McGee hooking up his laptop.

"You better not spill anything." McGee called out to him when he saw him coming.

Tony had three pizza boxes stacked in his arms with two cup holder trays of coffee balanced on top.

"Think you got enough stuff there?" McGee asked.

"You really think we're leaving here before Monday, Probie?" Tony asked.

"Good point." McGee sighed. "You really saw her?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded. "I had to stop myself from going up to her or even calling out. We need to get through all those files to see if she has a choice." Tony sighed.

"You think she doesn't want to?" McGee asked shyly.

"I think we need to get to work." Gibbs said re-entering his basement.

They worked through the weekend, reading the files, following up on every bit of the case and every action listed. They learned a lot. The hit ordered on Kate wasn't just from Ari it was in retaliation to Agent Gibbs, the order had been passed on to three operatives other than Ari. Only one of whom was killed that day as part of Ari's team. It had taken the FBI with the help of Homeland Security up till a few months ago to eliminate the threat and neutralize anyone who may have been aware of the situation.

"You think Ziva knew? She's not mentioned anywhere." Tony asks.

"I doubt she was trusted with it, her father wouldn't have been told it could've come back to hurt the agency and he needed deniability whether or not he would've approved the action." Gibbs told them.

"But from all these records they closed the case and protection is terminated." McGee said.

"Kate is no longer under protection." Gibbs agrees.

"We gotta go down there boss." Tony says.

"She didn't come back." Gibbs says simply.

"Maybe she's afraid." McGee said.

"The threat's gone and Kate was the bravest person…" Tony started but stopped realizing the past tense was no longer necessary. "She's alive, boss, she's family."

"I didn't mean afraid for her life, Tony. What if she doesn't want to disturb our lives I read a study on long term witness protection once and it said that.." McGee was trying to explain.

"We get the picture." Gibbs cut him off. Not wanting to hear about what Kate could have gone through isolated in her new life.

"Boss maybe we should tell Abby." McGee said.

"You want to be the one to deal with the fall out if she doesn't want her old life back, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

It was Sunday afternoon and they'd discovered all they could and even found the files outlining how they faked the head wound. The one thing they didn't figure out was what to do next.

"I'm going to South Carolina tonight." Gibbs announced finally before thinking to add, "Alone."

"Boss?" Tony asked.

"You guys go home get some sleep." Gibbs responded, he knew Tony wanted to come with him but he had to do this alone.

"Gibbs?" Tony called out again needing a response.

"I'll call you in the morning with an update." He assured them before kicking them out. He threw some stuff in a back pack and headed to the airport, not needing an alias since they knew the protection was terminated and Kate or Sarah as she was now known was out of danger. There was no threat now so no need for them to keep their distance and avoid attention.

Sarah Gray/Kate Todd was sitting in her living room hugging her legs to her chest. She knew they would come, wouldn't they? They had to have figured everything out by now maybe they didn't care. Who would he send? Tony? Abby?

She froze when her doorbell rang. She didn't go for her weapon when she heard the lock being jimmied she knew it was one of them. She contemplated hiding but instead stayed on the couch exactly how she was even as she heard her door being opened and then closed again quietly. She was shocked when it was Jethro Gibbs standing in her living room. He looked the same he looked like Jethro Gibbs, the man who she'd threatened to kill on Air Force One and the man who made her not regret giving up five years of her life if it meant to protect him as well.

"I assumed you would've sent someone for confirmation before coming down yourself." She said quietly.

"Tony was down here Thursday. But we hadn't gone through the case yet." He said needing to explain why Tony wouldn't have made contact. There she was, Kate, sitting right in front of him her hair was lighter pulled back now in a messy ponytail. She was beautiful though a little thinner and her eyes seemed like some of the brightness he remembered was missing.

"Scott Davies called me Thursday apparently you guys did a good job confusing him." She explained why she wasn't surprised to see him. Neither of them had moved she was still curled up and he was standing by the wall.

"That boy had some damn fine training, Kate." He said his lips curling a little.

She couldn't sit still any longer she stood up and approached him, he still wasn't moving. But she didn't care he was here, they knew she was alive. She just stared at him for a moment, "Say it again." She requested and he knew what she meant.

"Katie." He sighed staring right at her and when he didn't say anything else she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest as she sobbed. He slowly wrapped his arms around her but when they got there he held on tight.

He had maneuvered her back to the couch but the tears hadn't stopped and he was pretty sure he'd spilt plenty of his own as he held her in his arms. He was almost positive it was also the first time she allowed herself to really mourn her own death.

"Come on you gotta get some sleep, Kate." He whispered to her and she moved instantly to lock eyes with him silently pleading. "I'm not going anywhere tonight." He promised and let her lay with him on the couch.

When he woke up he heard the shower running and decided to look around her place. It was well decorated but something was missing, there were no pictures anywhere. There was plenty of books some random artwork but no people.

That's when he noticed it in her bedroom on the small table next to her bed, it looked exactly like the one he had, the one Ziva had given to him once she'd found it. A sketch book. He sat on her bed and picked it up, it was private but nothing could stop him from flipping through it. His own was worn as he kept it on the shelf in his basement next to the old photo album that Shannon had given him before that last deployment and he's lost count of the times he pulled either of those down to look through.

He flipped this one open the pictures weren't like the rough sketches in the one she had left behind. Every page is detailed, not the rough sketches he expected, they were better than photos and some of the best art he's ever seen. He could tell they must have been added to and new details put in on and off for years. A family portrait was first it must have been a replica of one she'd left in DC. There were pictures of the team, individual and group ones. He laughed at one of Tony staring at Abby as she leaned to pick up a specimen tray. His breath caught when he came to the picture of him on a sailboat it was so detailed and seemed so real he expected a memory to come to mind. When he flipped the page again it was him in marine camouflage next to a jeep the sun glaring and his military cut messy with sweat as he never let it get at work. He felt a little warm just looking at the picture it even showed the outline of sweat on his t-shirt. The next was of him lifting a boy up the last step to a tree house, this one wasn't real either but he knew where she'd gotten the idea he'd mentioned the tree house the marine hadn't been able to finish for his son. The detail and expression on his face made him wish it were true and it were his son. Then when he turned the page he was standing at the alter staring right off the page as if at a bride was approaching.

"I was afraid I'd missed one of your weddings." She smiled standing in the doorway holding her towel wrapped around her with both hands.

"These pictures.. I don't know what to say. They're christ Kate they're amazing." He told her closing the book even while wishing he could turn the page and see what she had him doing next, he knew in his gut there were more pictures, more of him. He lifted his hand to show the empty ring finger.

"Divorced already?" She asked.

"So you coming home?" He ignored her comment.

"DC? My apartments gone, my jobs gone, my friends have moved on…" She started going on.

"Well damnit Kate it's not like you've made much of a life for yourself here." He snapped regretting it instantly as she looked as if he'd slapped her.

"Get out Gibbs." She said.

And even though she was mad and he knew he'd upset her he was a little proud to see that spark still in her. "Kate.." He tried.

"Get out." She repeated.

"No. You have your choice of places to stay in DC, you have friends there who would welcome you with open arms. Hell I wasn't sure if DiNozzo wouldn't ignore me and come straight back here once we finished going over that damn case. As for a job you could do practically what you wanted in DC." He told her.

"I have a job here." She told him.

"I know and you are great at it, over qualified and you've refused every promotion. Come home. If you were thinking only of yourself would you even still be here?" He asked.

"That's not fair." She said sitting on her bed.

"No it's not. None of this is. Your life was torn away from you and then one day it's as if it was all for nothing and you can just go home, except no one expects you to come back and you know they've had to accept that fact. Did I get that right?" He asks.

"Gibbs I.." She started.

"What do you want Kate? You're not someone who pushes emotions aside and just starts over. You've been in limbo maybe if you were someone else this would have been easier you would have moved on, but Kate what do you want?" He forces the realities on her.

"My life back." She finally admits.

"That's a start. You get dressed. Then I'll take you to breakfast gotta put some weight back on ya.' He said and left her alone in her bedroom. "Five minutes." He added so she wouldn't allow herself to get lost in thought.

In the meantime Gibbs went and sat on the couch and pulled out his phone.

"Boss." Tony answered his phone after seeing the ID.

"I'll be back tonight." Gibbs told him.

"Is she?" Tony tried to ask about Kate.

"She's safe, and I don't know yet." He sighed knowing what Tony wanted to ask, if she would be coming back too.

"I'll tell Probie. And Boss?" Tony says.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"Tell her we love her." Tony says and hangs up.

Gibbs puts his phone away with a groan he knows they are counting on him.


	3. Chapter 3

She let him drive. She was more than ready to let someone else do something for her. She'd become so used to being alone. At first she did it on purpose she didn't know how long she'd be around here. So she avoided attachments then it became a habit to keep people at a distance. It's a good thing Gibbs didn't know how starved for company she was or he could just drag her where ever he chose.

"IHOP it is." Gibbs said pulling off the main street into the parking lot.

"You talked to Tony earlier?" She finally asked as they got out of the car.

"Yeah." He answered not sure how to approach this.

"Come on Gibbs don't make me ask." She started.

"He wants you back. You're family." He sighs.

She smiles thinking about her relationship with Tony DiNozzo. All their fighting and teamwork it's true he was the little brother she never had. She didn't even want to think about her real family right now. That she wasn't ready for.

They both ate breakfast with a silent deal to avoid talking about her returning for now. They ended up talking mostly about her work as Sarah Gray. She told him about her job as an instructor at the police academy.

When they got back to her house they settled down on the couch in her living room. She knew they were really going to talk now.

"What about Abby?" She asks.

"She doesn't know yet." Gibbs admitted.

"You're protecting her. That must be killing McGee." She thought about that one. "You're right about me."

"How's that?" He asked letting her try to work through this all.

"I didn't move on. I went to work I functioned I even excelled in that arena. But I never let myself think of Sarah Gray's life as my own. I haven't moved on. I can't even fathom the fact five years have gone by." Kate said.

"Things won't be the same. But you have people who will be there. People who will be happy you're back." He assured her.

"You make it sound so easy to just go back." She says.

"It won't be easy." He tells her. "Things have happened since you've been gone."

"Tell me. What's changed in Jethro Gibbs life?" She asked him.

He sighed. "A lot Kate." He didn't know how to answer where he should start or how much he should share.

"Take your time Jethro." She says feeling weird for calling him Jethro but also enjoying the privilege.

"Things have been messy. I didn't take your well lets just say I didn't take it well. No one was allowed to sit at your desk for over a month till Ziva settled in and forced us to move on. I think you'd like her she's in love with Tony and I'm pretty sure they'd actually work together. He's grown up a lot. He had an uncover case that didn't go well. Let's just say his heart was finally vulnerable." He explained.

"McGee has turned into a great agent even though he still lets Tony get to him. Abby she's still Abby. Though she's had a few scares which have made her even more nervous every time we go out. Palmer has found his place with Ducky along with the rest of the team." He wasn't sure where all this was coming from. He wasn't usually a talker. But it was easy talking about the team to Kate.

"What about you?" She asked.

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't really happy with the last five years. He didn't dare to think how differently they could have gone if she'd been part of them.

"If you don't want to." She said giving him an out.

"I left NCIS for more than six months." He shared.

She didn't say anything just waiting for him to continue.

"I got caught in the way of an explosion on a carrier and got pretty banged up. I lost more than ten yeas of my memory. Some old memories were thrown at me pretty strongly." He told her.

"Your wife and daughter. I'm sorry." She said realizing.

He stared at her for a minute. He was waiting for her to explain herself. How she knew about his past when the rest of the team hadn't.

"You interested me when we met. At the time I had access to most information." She told him.

He let it slide and continued. "It took a bit of jolting to bring back my memory and then the assignment went bad. I didn't handle it. I ended up living on a strip of beach in Mexico with Mike Franks." He told her.

"Your first partner." She recalled.

"A man appreciates his privacy." He chastised her she had obviously done his homework when they first met and hadn't forgotten much.

"What brought you back?" She asked curious now.

"I owed a friend a favor." He told her referring to Ziva.

"You know Director Vance?" She asked giving him an excuse to avoid thinking about the Director before him. She knew they had history and that there were rumors around her death last year.

"He was a good agent. We get along right now." He said.

She knew he didn't have much more he wanted to share right now. He was closing off. She really hadn't expected to ever get that much out of him at one time anyway.

"I don't know what I'd do." She said referring to when she returned to DC.

"Don't worry about that. You'll have a chance to settle back into your own life before you need to worry about work." He assured her.

"I spent so long making my apartment perfect." She admitted since she knew it had been sold.

He knew she was trying to tell him that she didn't know where she was going to live. He also knew she wouldn't want to be seen as a charity case by people when she returned. Not that it was a monetary issue by the looks of things here she'd been saving all the money she made here and he knew she hadn't been strapped for cash in the past. But it would be hard for her to start over make choices of where to live, work, how to tell people…

"I've got guest rooms Kate. For as long as you need." He offered her a solution. "I have a 7:20 flight back to DC."

"Tonight?" She asked.

"Yeah. I could help you pack if you decide you're ready." He offers.

"If I do come back today, could you maybe wait to tell people till I get a better grasp on things there?" Kate asked.

"One step at a time." He promised.


	4. Chapter 4

"Can I lock it?" Kate asked. They had settled all of her bags into one of the bedrooms. Now they were back in the main foyer on the way to the kitchen.

"Go ahead." He said giving her permission to lock the front door as he headed into the kitchen. He wondered if she still slept with a gun. "I've got Chinese and Indian leftovers." He called out.

Kate shook her head at the fact he seemed to live on take out as she caught up to him. "I can cook something." She offered.

"Not tonight." He told her. They'd both had a long day. "I'll let you earn your way Kate. But tonight it's curry or lo mein."

"I'll take the curry then." She answered.

Once he heated up the plates he took them and headed downstairs into the basement. Kate followed behind.

"I've got to visit the Marshall's office to fill out forms to get my id's and documents back." She told him as she took her plate from him.

"This is a new boat." She said when she finally looked around.

"Started it 18 months ago." He told her between bites of his lo mein.

"And the last one?" She asked.

"I was finished with it." He said simply.

"Where is it now?" She asked looking around the basement. There wasn't any way to remove something that big from down here. That's when she realized he must have burned it. "Do you think I'd have a problem getting in to NCIS to see people with my Sarah Gray credentials?" She asked giving him an out from the other conversation.

"I'll talk to Vance when I get in tomorrow." He assured her not questioning her decision to stop by.

"I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet. But I should stop by." She answered the unasked question.

A little while later she was sanding while Gibbs was measuring planks to cut. He caught her covering a yawn.

"Go on to bed. The bathroom in that hallway is all yours." He told her.

She woke up the next morning and quickly showered and changed. Gibbs was already gone when she went to grab something to eat from the kitchen. She made a mental note to get some groceries later today and picked up the key that was left on the otherwise empty counter.

Her trip to the Marshall's Office didn't go as well as she had hoped. They couldn't give her back her identity till the forms were processed by homeland security which would take 2-3 weeks. She'd continue to be Sarah Gray for a while longer.

She headed straight over to the NCIS main building at the Navy Yard. The whole way she looked around the streets afraid someone she knew would see her. She missed her darker hair and added some hair dye to her mental shopping list. When she reached the entrance of the building she sat on one of the benches outside rather then heading right in. She cursed herself for her hesitance and fear then got right back up to walk inside.

She used her Sarah Gray id and tried not to draw too much attention to herself as she headed for the elevators. She took one up to the Director's floor wanting to get a look around the bullpen before diving right in.

She walked along the hall staring down into the bullpen below. Tony was reading a magazine and McGee was on his computer. She wasn't sure where Gibbs or Ziva were.

Kate jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned to come face to face with Director Vance.

"You must be Agent Todd. Leon Vance Director of NCIS." He offered his hand to her.

She shook it with a guarded look.

"Come talk to me for a bit." He requested heading to his office. She followed him with one more glance down into the bullpen. "Take a seat." He said when they settled in his office.

"Agent Gibbs familiarized me with your situation." He started. "Have you decided what you want to do now?" He asked.

She didn't answer right away. He could sense her indecision. Recognizing how tough this all had to be for her so he continued. "Were you interested in returning to your work as a field agent with us?"

"I haven't decided yet. I won't get my id back for 2 to 3 weeks so I hadn't planned on rushing the decision." She answered.

"Well we have an annual qualifying course this Thursday in case you were interested. I can put you down and you can think about it." He offered.

"I appreciate that." Kate said.

"Well from what Gibbs told me I'd be an idiot to lose you to another agency. I've also ordered a faxed copy of your reviews from South Carolina. If there's anything I can help you with in the mean time don't hesitate to ask." Vance offered. He'd done his homework on Kate Todd and requested all the performance reviews on Sarah Gray.

"Actually there is one thing you could do." She started. "I was planning on letting a few people know I'm back. I'd like to talk to Abby without the rest of the team wandering in. Is there any way you could keep the rest of the team away from the lab for a while?" She asked.

"I'll take care of it. Welcome back." He said meaning to her life. Kate smiled back at him before walking out.

She headed back to the elevator and glanced down to the bullpen. Now they were all there. Ziva had just thrown a pen at Tony as McGee laughed. Gibbs shook his head ignoring their antics as he picked up his phone. She'd only worked here for over two years but just standing in the building she felt at home maybe it was just being close to these people. She wasn't sure how it would be to slip back into the same old routine. Would she even be allowed on the same team? She wasn't really interested in being a field agent under someone that wasn't Gibbs.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the elevator's ding.

Kate stood outside of Abby's lab and wasn't sure how to proceed. They hadn't told her. Abby thought she was dead. Well as Gibb's would say 'Let's go.'

She entered the lab the music was loud so Abby didn't hear her approach.

When Abby finally turned and saw her leaning against the wall she froze. Then Abby giggled.

"Well I haven't seen you in a while. You won't believe the weekend I had. I finally gave in to Charlie who helped us with a case a few weeks ago. I thought he would be a total stiff. But he came bowling with us and he was great." Abby was going on and Kate had to smile. Obviously Abby had these conversations with her before. She must believe she was just a figment of her imagination this time as well.

"Abby if you promise not to freak out I'll go with you to get another tattoo." Kate started out. Abby froze and Kate knew she should continue quickly because apparently from the look on her face her 'ghost Kate' didn't talk back. "I wasn't killed on that rooftop it was staged to get me into Witness Protection. I've been living in South Carolina as Sarah Gray for the past five years. I'm sorry but I'm glad to be back."

Abby still hadn't spoken just looking at her.

"Here you can test me DNA, finger prints, whatever you need." She offered.

"Let me see your tat." Abby finally requested.

Kate did so and Abby went all crazy with excitement as Kate hoped she would. They spent the next hour catching up. Kate told her about the circumstances of the protection. She told her when it ended and how Tony and Gibbs figured it out. She left out the participation she knew McGee had to try to spare him a little pain.

Kate willingly obliged when Abby took her finger prints and the DNA she offered with a cheek swab to make sure this wasn't all one big hallucination. Abby told her some more stories from the past couple years.

"Are you coming back to NCIS?' Abby asked seriously.

"I don't know yet." Kate answered.

"We'll go get that new tat on Friday." Abby told her.

"It's a date." Kate laughed. "I'm gonna go see Ducky before I go upstairs. I'll stop back here before I go."

Abby gave her another hug before she was allowed to leave. "I'm so glad you aren't dead anymore." She whispered.

Kate heard Abby shrieking and dancing around as she headed to the morgue.

She walked right into the morgue with no hesitation she needed to see Ducky. She was glad to see he was alone.

"Ducky." She called out.

Ducky turned to see Caitlin Todd standing in front of him the lighter hair not deterring him for a minute.

"Caitlin." He said as she approached him and let him wrap her in a hug.

"It's so good to see you." She sighed.

"I suppose Jethro found you." He said when she pulled away to sit on one of the empty tables.

"They tracked my case then he came down for the extraction." She said then realized he knew more. "You knew it would happen."

"He came down questioning me last Thursday. He was angry. He hasn't been down here since keeps sending anyone else for reports." He told her.

"You didn't have a choice either." She said defending him.

"Yes I know my dear. I believe Jethro knows it too. He just needed someone to blame for a bit instead of himself. The man's hurting." He explained.

"But I'm okay." She said.

"You are. But you were taken away from him for one. Then he finds out you've been forced to live another life. Not to mention the five years that have pasted and I'm sure he's thought about how things would be different." Ducky tried to explain.

"I don't know what to do now. I feel at home back here. I never let myself accept Sarah Gray's life. So many things have changed I can't just go back to my old role." She tried to tell him.

"I understand dear. You have to find a new place, and you will. Give it some time." He told her.

Kate smiled she wasn't sure why Ducky could make her feel better about something she already knew.

"So Caitlin tell me about this Sarah Gray." He requested.

She spent some time trying to explain how her life had been for the past five years.

"You haven't gone upstairs yet have you?" He asked.

"Nope I spoke to the Director and then Abby. I was afraid she was going to think I was a séance gone wrong. Now I guess I'm delaying." She admitted.

"That reminds me of one time back when I was a young scholar in Scotland. I had received some bad news and instead of sharing…" He started to go on.

"Oh I really did miss you." She said hugging him again when he started to tell a story.

"Go on upstairs you're strong enough to face all this." He assured her before shooing her out of the morgue.

She took the stairs up to clear her mind a bit. Then decided it would be best to just dive right on in. When McGee noticed her first he jumped up and called out to her and Tony rose as well. She noticed Ziva rise but just watch all the action as Gibbs turned to watch making no move to join in the scene unfolding.

"Kate." Tony reached her first and she didn't even fight him off when he grabbed her and swung her around.

"It's good to see you Tony." She told him.

Then McGee gave her a hug as well once Tony released her.

"You McGee had me worried I read your new book and wasn't sure what parts were true and what you'd dreamt up. I was almost shocked to find Abby didn't have a shrine set up for you down in her lab." She told him with a grin as they led her over to the bullpen.

"Very funny Kate I'm so glad you're okay." McGee said.

"Yeah the boss wouldn't tell us if you'd come back or not." Tony said of Gibbs.

"I wasn't sure what I wanted." She defended Gibbs.

Then she came to stand in front of Ziva. They both seemed a little out of place.

"Agent Todd it is good to see you are not dead." She said.

"It's Kate please. I'm glad you were here to join the team and keep my these guys out of too much trouble." She said realizing she meant every word.

"Yes I have tried my best." She smiled.

"So what are you doing now have you spoken to the Director?" Tony asked.

"I have. I also went to get my id's back but the paper work on not being dead anymore apparently takes a couple weeks. So I'm Sarah Gray for a bit longer and that will give me time to decide what I want to do now." She told them all but couldn't help but turn her gaze to Gibbs stare.

"Well we have to celebrate." McGee started.

"Yeah why don't we all go out and grab some drinks." Tony suggested.

"Actually I had some errands to run." Kate said.

"And we have work to do." Gibbs responded.

"Well then tonight." Tony said.

"Alright." She agreed knowing it was useless to argue.

"Great I'll let Abby, Ducky, and Palmer know." McGee said going to his phone. He looked up one more time. "It's great to have you back."

"So Kate tell me did the uniform get the guys in South Carolina?" Tony asked ludely referring to her police uniform.

"Get back to work DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered him as Kate gave him a smack on the back of the head.

"Boss." He complained. But Gibbs ignored him and Ziva laughed.

Kate made her excuses to go with the promise to be at the Grille to meet them at 1900.

"I hope you come tonight." Kate said to Ziva before leaving. She could only imagine this all from her view and she didn't want her to feel threatened.


End file.
